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One of the updates will authorize no minimum hair length for all personnel, to include making it an optional style for female Soldiers. Under the current policy, a Soldier's hair length can be no shorter than 1/4 inch from the scalp unless otherwise exempt due to a medical condition or injury. The push to change the Army's grooming standards proves that the force is evolving and making a concerted effort to make everyone feel included, said Master Sgt. Quintana Mitchell, the uniform policy NCO for G-1. The U.S. Army is committed to implementing policies that promote inclusivity throughout the ranks. To ensure a standard of equity and based on a July 2020 DoD-directed review, the Army has updated the grooming and hairstyle policies. The updates directly supports the Army’s diversity and inclusion efforts.
Multiple Hairstyles:
That does not apply to combat uniforms in a training or combat environment. The Army plans to authorize the wear of highlights if it presents a natural appearance and is not a prohibited color, Sanders said. Further, if a Soldier decides to color or highlight their hair, root growth of a different color should not exceed 1.5 inches of the original color. Under the new policy, medium-length ponytails are only authorized for wear on the back of the scalp and cannot exceed the head's width or interfere with the proper wear of a Soldier's headgear.
The Army is planning a major overhaul of its hair and grooming regulations
Highlights also can’t be unnatural colors, such as purple, blue, green, pink, bright red, fluorescent or neon. Braids and ponytails can not extend past the bottom of their shoulder blades when standing at attention. According to an information paper posted by Deputy Chief of Staff for Personnel Lt. Gen. Gary Brito’s office, the update is part of the Army’s efforts to promote diversity and inclusion. "This is how we shift the culture and embrace forward thinking," Sanders added. "It is time to dig deeper and use our lexicon and vocabulary to describe what is authorized and what does not conform to a professional military appearance, good order and discipline."
Army Grooming Standards and AR 670-1
Individuals will not be allowed to wear earrings in a field environment or during a combat-related deployment, or in locations where access to regular hygiene is limited. The panel included Soldiers from all components, representing a cross-section of ranks, units, ages, cultural backgrounds, career fields and races. The process also included two Army dermatologists, an Army psychologist, and an Army equal opportunity advisor as subject-matter experts, who provided medical or EO knowledge to back the panel's findings. This hairstyle must be maintained to ensure the hair does not exceed maximum length regulations.
Army Male Hair Regulations
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The new regulations were a huge win for women who have said the formerly-required bun got in the way of equipment like helmets, and made it difficult to perform their jobs. A soldier’s medical exemption to the Army’s beard policy must specify the maximum length of the beard. Soldiers can not use medical exemptions to grow shaped beard styles like goatees and handlebar mustaches.
In 2016, Andrews began a campaign to change Army Regulation (the wear and appearance of uniforms and insignia) to include locks – formerly referred to as dreadlocks – as an authorized hairstyle. By 2017, the then-District of Columbia National Guard first lieutenant’s proposal was accepted, changing an Army-wide policy that impacts 2 million active-duty, reserve-component and National Guard Soldiers. Male soldiers can also wear highlights if they follow the standards listed above.
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The changes originally said the ponytail had to be tucked into the back of the soldier’s uniform, but Sgt. Maj. of the Army Michael Grinston tweeted on Thursday stating that will no longer be a requirement. Approved hairstyle changes include no minimum hair length for female Soldiers, allowing multiple hairstyles at once (i.e. braiding, twists or locs). Soldiers will be able to wear ponytails if unable to form a bun, and may wear long ponytails while conducting physical training, in the combat uniform or when female Soldiers wear equipment such as, but not limited to, combat helmets. The grooming standard changes make it easier and safer for women to secure natural hair of all types in garrison and combat headgear. Previous hairstyle regulations that required soldiers to wear long hair in a tight bun damaged soldiers’ hair and scalps. Buns also made wearing helmets and other tactical gear more challenging.
Other Piercing Regulations
The length of the ponytails cannot extend past the bottom of the shoulder blades; there is no minimum length requirement, and the ponytail or braid must be worn down the center of the back. This change will go into effect immediately upon the publishing of the official guidance, which is expected to happen on Thursday. Along with hair standards, the Army is allowing women to wear lipstick and nail polish — something that used to be allowed but was later outlawed. The new standards will also allow men to wear clear nail polish if they wish, which could be used to protect their nails if they “serve in the job specialties that have to deal with harsh chemicals,” for instance.
They can not wear earrings on other parts of the ear while in uniform or on duty. According to Paragraph 3-2 of AR 670-1, mustaches can not extend past the corners of the mouth (imagine a vertical line drawn upward from the corners of the mouth). "If we care about people first and the Soldier as a whole, we have to care about the many aspects to who they are as well. This is a small, but significant change that positively impacts a considerable size of our force." The lack of hairstyle options as a result of a Soldier’s hair length or texture can often stress an individual as they try various techniques and devices to secure their hair to maintain a neat appearance, Mitchell said.
A wide-ranging set of changes to the uniform and grooming regulations is set to hit the Army, with many new details covering everything from ponytails to earring allowances. The issue of hair standards specifically was reignited on social media last week, with men and women alike calling for change and describing what they view as broken and antiquated policies that put unnecessary burdens on women who serve. The Army announced new official hair and grooming regulations on Jan. 26. Women are now also cleared to wear earrings — gold, silver, and diamond — in their combat uniform, a move which had never been done before, Sanders said.
Females are currently authorized to wear earrings when wearing their service, dress, mess, and evening mess uniforms. In addition to an update in hair regulations, The Army is introducing a wide range of changes to the uniform and grooming regulations. They expect all soldiers to always maintain a uniform and professional look. Women soldiers can also now have short hair; shaved heads are now allowed for women, with minimum hair lengths erased in the latest update. The new policy will also remove various words from the regulation that are offensive to some cultures, or have racist ties. In the facial hair section of the regulations, the word “Fu Manchu” will be removed, for example, as it “has been considered offensive to Asian Culture,” the slides say.
“A male Soldier would take this opportunity to keep their nails protected." "This is one of the many facets of putting our people first and recognizing who they are as human beings," he said. "Their identity and diverse backgrounds are what makes the Army an ultimate fighting force." The Army Haircut Regulations apply to both men and women, though there are specific rules for each gender.
Soldiers must wear hijabs under any required headgear, and they must tuck the bottom of the hijab in the uniform top. The updated standard will also include a link to imagery and videos to provide Soldiers with specific examples of proper grooming and appearance standards, Sanders said. Current images are too vague, outdated, and leave too much room for interpretation without adequate guidance. Under the current standard, Soldiers are allowed to braid, twist, lock, or cornrow their hair if they are uniform and no greater than 1/2 inch in width. Individuals must also have appropriate size and spacing between each braid, cornrow, twist, or lock, and are authorized one distinct type of hairstyle at one time.
Highlights in soldiers’ hair are also now in the mix for those who want to add a little color, but they can’t be too stark and have to blend naturally. There is more as far as prohibited hairstyles and authorized hair accessories go. The slides go on to list the psychological impacts of hair loss and how a person’s quality of life is impacted by something like TA which can result in additional challenges like anxiety, depression, and poor body image. “That image reinforced the same European standard of professionalism and beauty that had become mine as a girl; the natural me was not good enough,” Peters wrote. It’s unclear which of the changes will be finalized and implemented in the new year.
The new grooming standards also allow them to shave their hair shorter than ¼ inch. Under the current regulation, Soldiers are only authorized to dye, tint, or bleach their hair. The color of their hair must also be uniform and not detract from their professional appearance. Unauthorized pigments include, but are not limited to, purple, blue, pink, green, orange, bright red, and fluorescent or neon colors. Dermatologists involved in the review process provided critical input tied to the updated ponytail policy, Sanders said. The authorized wear of a medium-length ponytail could lower an individual’s risk of hair loss, reduce scarring, or decrease the likelihood of migraine headaches caused by repeatedly pulling hair into a tight bun.
Though there has been recent talk of loosening beard policy, the Army has not yet revised its longstanding policies banning beards and restricting mustaches as of the latest round of updates. In another change, the Army removed minimum hair lengths for women, which used to be ¼ inch. Women can also cut their hair in tapered styles (i.e., in a fashion that conforms to the shape of their heads).
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